Home Care
by CodependentCollision
Summary: "How can something so trivial hurt so much?" Regina grouses as she hops, tentatively putting her foot on the ground for a step before yanking it back with a hiss.


**A/N:** This was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend about how since Regina won't use magic anymore, she would no longer be able to, er, teleport? I guess that's the word I'd use. Which led to the rather amusing image of Regina in her high heels chasing her various enemies in circles while Yakety Sax played in the background. And that's originally what the fic was going to be - complete and utter crack fic ridiculousness. But somehow I ended up with injured!Regina and Emma taking care of her? I don't know, man. Anyway, on with the fic!

* * *

She's lucky she's not dead, Emma thinks, pulling Regina's arm more closely around her shoulder as she hops along beside her, cursing.

"How can something so trivial hurt so much?" Regina grouses as she hops, tentatively putting her foot on the ground for a step before yanking it back with a hiss.

"Will you _stop_ that?" Emma orders and Regina listens because Emma is good at ordering when she needs to be. "We have no way of knowing if it's broken or not, until you get an X-ray."

"It's not broken. It's hardly bruised. Ow!" Regina hops a little frantically, her face contorted with pain.

Emma pauses with a sigh, waiting until Regina relaxes again. "You chased Hook into traffic, slid over two cars, barely avoided becoming road kill and then tripped over the curb when you got up. You'll be lucky to get a broken ankle out of it."

"That curb bit was rather anti-climactic, wasn't it?"

Finally, they reach the house. Unfortunately there are still steps to navigate, a frantic Henry to console and by the time they reach the living room, Emma thinks she needs emergency treatment more than Regina does.

Still, her instincts take over. She carefully removes Regina's shoe before the swelling gets so bad it won't come off. She peels off the sock and hisses when she sees the ankle - already purple and twice its normal size. "We're not going to be able to do anything until the swelling goes down. I'll get some ice and keep that elevated," she says, pushing over the ottoman. "Needless to say, you're not to get up."

"Nonsense. I have things to do," Regina replies, already fidgeting in her seat. "And this coat is hot."

Emma closes her eyes and counts to ten. If anything, this woman will give her the patience of a saint. With a calm grin, she walks over and maneuvers Regina out of her coat. She settles her back in the chair and attempts to get a bag of ice as well as dig up whatever medical supplies Regina has stored in the house.

"I'm hungry," Regina calls back to the kitchen where Emma is cracking open the ice trays.

She ignores her and zips closed the cold bag. Gently, very gently, she drapes it over Regina's ankle, noting with some satisfaction that the shock of it has silenced her. Carefully, she monitors the ice, making sure not to allow a burn and in half an hour, the swelling has receded enough for her to wrap a temporary bandage around the injury, strong enough to stabilize, soft enough not to cause any more damage.

"Is that all?" Regina asks, levering herself up as if she's going to start walking around.

"Absolutely not!" Emma pushes her back in the chair. "You need x-rays, which I'll help arrange tomorrow. For now you will sit there and stay still."

Regina's expression dissolves into one of pure disdain and annoyance, but she doesn't get up. "Hand me my phone," she demands imperiously. "And I'm still hungry."

Emma's hand curls unconsciously - mostly unconsciously - into a fist. She's about turn around and say something rude but as she does, she sees how pale Regina is and there are rings of exhaustion around her eyes that weren't there during the chase. She looks very young and very, very tired which softens Emma's ire considerably.

Silently, she retrieves Regina's phone from her coat and hands it to her before heading to the kitchen to procure some toast. She makes a pot of tea as well and doles it out, sighing when Regina begins to eat without a note of thanks. "You're welcome," she murmurs, blowing into her tea.

Regina grunts and goes back to her phone's keyboard, her thumbs working the tiny keys with swift accuracy.

"Who are you virtually flaying now?" Emma asks.

"I'm updating the others. Letting them understand that I've been temporarily laid low but by tomorrow I will be back to work." Regina bends more closely over the phone, her mouth pinched.

"Oh, yeah? Maybe they can light some candles and pray for a miracle. Because you're sure as all hell not going to be walking around by tomorrow, " Emma takes a bite of toast and ignores the nasty glance Regina shoots her way. "I'll call your boyfriend at the hospital's to arrange for a quick x-ray. Whale will be happy to get to run his hands all over your shapely calf."

The glare turns positively evil. "Do you really want to get on my bad side?"

"There's a good side?" Emma blinks innocently at her. She gets up and pats Regina on the shoulder before heading to the stairs. "Call me when you're ready for bed. Do _not_ attempt to walk there yourself unless you want to become one of those 'I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up' adverts."

"I hate you," Regina breathes and hunches down more obstinately over her phone.

"Yeah," Emma yawns and heads up the stairs to the guest bedroom where a change and a quick lie-down awaits.

* * *

When Emma wakes up, it's already morning. She curses and bolts upright in bed, scrambling to pull on some pants before heading to check on Regina. When she finds her, she's still in the chair, fast asleep, her body twisted in all the wrong angles. Her foot as slipped off the ottoman and is probably even more swollen than the day before.

Wonderful.

"You stubborn woman, why didn't you call me?" Emma says, softly rubbing Regina's arm. "Come on, wake up."

Regina stirs and blinks up at her. The arrogance of the day before is gone, replaced by a pained confusion. "I don't feel very well," she whispers hoarsely. She tries to leverage herself up and it's all Emma can do to keep her in her seat.

"Hold on, let's look at this for a moment and then I'll help you go wherever you have to go." Emma pulls up a seat and gingerly lifts Regina's ankle. She unwraps the temporary bandage and grimaces at its size which has only gotten worse from lack of elevation. She debates icing it again but one look at Regina's queasy expression changes her mind. "I'll help you to the bathroom and then to bed. Come on, arm around and up, that's it. There you go."

Regina turns an awful shade of white. "I think I'm going to vomit."

Nonplussed Emma pauses. "Can you make it there or do you want to sit here and get that over with before we go on?"

"That doesn't bother you?" Regina asks, breathing shakily.

Emma laughs lightly. "No. You certainly wouldn't be the first person to puke on me. Come on, instead of standing here talking, let's get to the toilet. You can make your decisions in there."

They make it there without incident and Emma helps Regina sit and lower her head between her knees which seems to help immensely. Emma bathes her face with a cool cloth, surprised at how Regina turns her face up into the touch, sighing with relief. "I'm sorry if I was awful last night," Regina murmurs as Emma smoothes the cloth over her cheeks and down her neck. "This is very nice of you. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Ready to head to bed?"

To her surprise, Regina nods. They make it there with some difficulty, but eventually, Regina is lying back, her bad foot resting on a brace of pillows. She looks abashed and shy, which makes Emma much more inclined to help her. "Ms. Swan..."

"Your phone, your laptop, some breakfast and a notebook. All are on the way."

Regina's mouth trembles. "Ah ... yes. Very good. You are ... uh ... very observant."

She reaches to rest her palm on Regina's forehead, noting that her temperature is slightly elevated, most likely from stress. "I know it's like asking the Earth to stop revolving around the sun, but _try_ to lie still and rest, will you? I'll be back in a few."

Regina nods, shyly pulling the comforter up to her neck. Emma wonders if anyone has ever bothered to take care of Regina or if she's ever allowed them to. Maybe they've tried and gave up, which isn't unlikely as the woman is impossible in the best of circumstances, but Emma likes impossible tasks, it's the part of her that gives her the greatest grief as well as the greatest joy.

It only takes a little while to prepare a tray of cereal and tea. The phone and laptop fit neatly atop as well. She carries it into the bedroom where Regina is still lying, hunched beneath the blanket looking very much like a small child.

Emma doesn't give into the urge to smooth back her hair, instead setting down the tray on her night table. She helps Regina sit up and sits beside her as she eats, drinking her own mug of tea while Regina eats, crunching the cereal down, one thoughtful spoonful at a time.

She turns to Emma with a contrite look. "Would it possible to get the x-rays tomorrow? I'd love to get some sleep today."

"Yep. I'll ice it again later and if you keep it up tonight, it shouldn't be too much trouble to get you over to the hospital," Emma replies easily. "No worries. Relax and all will be well."

Regina smiles at her - an honest, bright, affectionate smile. "I'm not good at relaxing, you know."

"Understatement of the century." Emma gets up and stretches out her limbs, grimacing at the pain in her arm from yesterday's scuffle with Hook. She scrubs at her face with her hand and tilts her head toward the door. "I'm going in for a shower and more tea. Remember, _call_ me when you need something."

"Your arm is hurting you," Regina states with a frown. "And here I am being a great baby, aren't I? I apologize, -Emma. I ... I am very unfair sometimes."

"You're _fine_," Emma says firmly. "Just tired and overwrought and frustrated. And that's when you're perfectly well. I can't imagine what it's like to be trapped inside of you when you're incapacitated."

"It's rather lively. Anyway, take your shower and I'm going to sleep," Regina say with determination, which makes Emma grin. She takes the tray and Regina slides down beneath the covers. "By the way, if you encourage Dr. Whale in the slightest I'll tell him that you and I are _involved_. Intimately."

"And then I'll invite him to watch," Emma threatens back mildly. "It's not as though you can run away."

"I'm beginning to think you're the evil one," Regina replies sleepily. She's out like a light less than a minute later and with a smile she can't help, Emma tucks the blankets in a little more tightly around her thin shoulders.

"Sleep well, Regina," she murmurs before heading downstairs to a hot shower.


End file.
